The ocean is a wondrous force of nature. It affects the weather, and provides us with food and free and renewable energy to power our lives. How can the ocean provide us with free and renewable energy? One way is to extract the energy that is in the waves. There are many kinds of power systems that can be installed to extract energy from the waves, depending on the location. In this energy and power science project, you will build and test a simple model of an oscillating water column device to…
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Energy_p037

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Time Required

Average (6-10 days)

Prerequisites

You should have fairly easy access to the ocean or to a deep body of water. Find a location where the surface of the water is within easy access of a pier, a dock, or a boat slip, and where the water is about 5 feet deep. You could also do this project in a swimming pool.

Material Availability

See the Materials and Equipment list for more details.

Cost

High ($100 - $150)

Safety

Be sure to wear safety equipment, such as safety goggles and gloves, when working with power tools and other equipment. Parental supervision is required.

This project is a great way to "bring home" the concept of energy use. All you need to get started is a good-sized sample of monthly electric bills from households in your area. Building from this simple beginning, you can ask questions that can take you in many different directions. For example: How much electricity does the "average" person in your area use per month? How much does electricity use vary among different families?
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Energy_p017

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Time Required

Very Long (1+ months)

Prerequisites

To do this project you will have to collect sample monthly electric bills from at least 30 different households, along with the number of people living in the household.

Here's a sports science project that shows you how to use correlation analysis to choose the best batting statistic for predicting run-scoring ability. You'll learn how to use a spreadsheet to measure correlations between two variables.
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Sports_p003

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Time Required

Short (2-5 days)

Prerequisites

To do this project you must be comfortable using a spreadsheet program like Microsoft Excel®, or be willing to learn how to use one.

Did you know that in addition to the Sun and planets, our solar system is filled with millions of asteroids, which are chunks of rock left over from the early days of its formation, or from collisions between larger objects like planets? Agencies like NASA track asteroids, not only because they might pose a threat to humanity by colliding with Earth, but because they can provide us with information about the history of our solar system, and even be useful for mining raw materials in space! In…
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Astro_p039

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Time Required

Short (2-5 days)

Prerequisites

In order to do this science project, you should either already have knowledge of basic statistical analysis (histograms and scatter plots) or have a willingness to familiarize yourself with them.

Material Availability

This science project requires a computer with internet access and a spreadsheet program like Microsoft® Excel® or OpenOffice™ Calc.

Renewable energy is the energy that is extracted from natural sources, such the Sun (solar), earth (geothermal), wind, and water (hydropower). These sources are renewable because they can be replenished by the same natural sources within a short period of time. Hydropower energy is extracted from moving water, like ocean wave energy and tidal energy. In this energy science fair project, you will make a model of a tidal barrage (also known as a dam) and investigate how emptying the tidal barrage…
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Energy_p028

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Time Required

Short (2-5 days)

Prerequisites

You will need access to a drill and hole saws.

Material Availability

Readily available

Cost

Average ($50 - $100)

Safety

Minor injury is possible. Use caution when using a drill. Always wear safety goggles when working with power tools. Adult supervision is required.

We've all heard that hurricanes draw their immense power from warm ocean waters. Of course, many factors contribute to the formation and growth of a hurricane, but can we expect to find that the warmer the water, the stronger the hurricane will be? This project shows you how to use online data archives to investigate this question.
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OceanSci_p005

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Time Required

Average (6-10 days)

Prerequisites

Familiarity with computers and web browser is helpful for this project.

If you've ever so much as watched a news clip about a hurricane, you probably know that hurricanes draw their power from warm ocean waters. If that is true, does it mean that hurricanes actually cool the ocean down when they pass through? Can the amount of cooling be measured? Is it proportional to the strength of the hurricane? Find out using data that you can collect yourself using online archives. This project shows you how.
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Do you like getting something for nothing? Everybody likes getting things for free. How about getting energy and power for free? The Sun sends us free energy every second and all we have to do is collect it. Taking advantage of free energy can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, which are harmful to our environment. In this science fair project, you will work with a solar panel, which is a collector of free energy, and investigate how varying the angle of the solar panel, and thus the amount…
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A day at the beach is a wonderful way to spend time with your family and friends. You can swim, play games, and build sand castles. But have you ever thought about how all of that sand got there and wondered why the shoreline weaves in and out of the ocean? In this science project, you will investigate how ocean waves build beaches by making a model of the beach and shoreline. All you need is a tiny surfer and a beach volleyball court for your model, and you can imagine that you are in…
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It's hard to believe that the same water that you use every day to quench your thirst, cook with, bathe in, swim in, and wash your clothes and dishes, is capable of another trick—it can make electricity! Electricity can be generated through the flow or through the fall of water. A big, fast-flowing river, for instance, contains a lot of moving energy that provides enough pressure to turn the blades of a turbine and run an electric generator. This same pressure can also be created though…
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